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The 2023 World Baseball Classic is off to a fantastic start as we transition to the quarterfinals. Fans have been treated to stellar plays and some intense games up to this point.
Pool play was seen as a great success in terms of TV numbers and fans in attendance. Crowds during pool play reached 1,010,999, the most ever attended in the history of the WBC. The previous record was set in 2017, totaling only 510,056, nearly a full 100% increase.
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The average attendance rate also set a new record, averaging 25,275 fans. Both U.S. ventures set single-day attendance records. Chase Field totaled 68,147, and LoanDepot Park drew 71,289 over the course of two games.
In pool C at the Tokyo Dome, fans broke the record for most fans of any tournament round, with 361,976 in attendance. They were more than excited to see Shohei Ohtani in action.
Fans shared their thoughts on the tournament and the attendance records being set:
Baseball fans couldn't be happier seeing how popular the World Baseball Classic is. It is one of the only international baseball tournaments the sport has. It should be held in high regard.
It's truly a great turnout for an event that was canceled and rescheduled. This tournament was supposed to take place in 2021 but was rescheduled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The World Baseball Classic is good for the game
The World Baseball Classic is the only time fans get to see superstars from different leagues team up or compete against each other. No other tournament gives fans the opportunity to see Japan's next ace, Roki Sasaki, team up with an MLB player like Lars Nootbaar.
It brings fans from different leagues together. It also helps grow the game with kids watching at home. They see passionate teams like Team Venezuela playing and get inspired to pick up the game. They may follow in those players' footsteps and represent their home country in the future.
This tournament expands the game of baseball as a whole. While it is unfortunate that no athlete is superhuman and injuries have occurred, that doesn't change the fact. The WBC is great for the sport.
